


A Promise and a Lie

by NienteZero



Category: Leverage
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-01-06 21:50:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1111903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NienteZero/pseuds/NienteZero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Parker asks Eliot for reassurance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Promise and a Lie

"How many times have you been concussed?!"

Eliot's just minding his business, cutting butter into flour for biscuits in the brew pub kitchen when Parker storms in and throws a newspaper down in front of him, seriously messing up his mise en place.

The headline's something about football players and brain diseases. Eliot grabs a towel and wipes flour off his hands before he turns to Parker. She's got that pit bull look on her face. He puts his hands on her shoulders, careful, the way he always is with her.

"Sweetheart, you see me get concussed much?" he says. "It's my job not to get hit in the head. How many times have you seen me seriously get my ass kicked?"

"Well," Parker says, looking down. "Any concussions are too dangerous. It says so. You could, you could get really sick. You could-"

She doesn't say, "Die." Eliot hears it, though.

"Maybe I used to get hit too much," Eliot says, "But I promise, I have every reason to be careful now. I ain't worried about getting any of those concussion problems." 

"That's true. Hardison and I would both be so mad if you got sick," Parker says fiercely. "So you'd better be careful."

Eliot smiles, easily, and lies, easily. "You know it, babe, I'm here for the long haul."

Parker looks much brighter as she swipes a handful of cookies that Eliot had cooling on a rack and dashes out of the kitchen on whatever her next mysterious errand is.

Eliot doesn't have the heart to mess with the biscuit dough right now. It takes a light hand. He puts the bowl with the butter and flour in the walk-in and goes to sit outside on the back step.

He's sure not worried about getting one of those concussion related illnesses. That wasn't a lie. The part where he said he'd be more careful? Nah, the rate the three of them make enemies, he's not going to live long enough to get sick. He's promised himself that he'll do anything to protect Parker and Hardison.


End file.
